Re: I'm through with autofocus (lenses for sale)
Hi, What price do you expect to get for FA 50/1.4? So you change system, to which one? Alek Uytkownik Coleman Nee [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: Hi everyone. My ZX-5n finally died altogether recently, and I can't bring myself to throw good money after bad by buying another autofocus body. That's why I'm selling all of my autofocus lenses and accessories. They haven't been getting much use lately since I find I enjoy manual focusing more anyway. I was thinking of putting all this stuff up for sale on E-Bay, but I've never used that service before and thought it might be more efficient to target Pentax users directly through this list. Is that a good idea, or is E-bay more secure? (advice welcome) All of the lenses are in good shape, some like new. Most have some degree of the play that is all too common with autofocus lenses. I can't stand that, but I am more intolerant than some. Anyway, here's a list of what's on offer with descriptions: FA 50/1.4 - Clean glass, barrel wobbly but it works fine. FA 50/1.7 - Clean glass with a couple of teeny-tiny specks inside, less wobbly than the 1.4 but it still annoys me. FA 50/2.8 Macro - Beautiful, like new with original box, lens case, hardly used at all. It rattles a little bit, but that mostly clears up with CLAMP dial set to ON. This one didn't get much use because my camera died shortly aftery I bought it. FA 28/2.8 - like new, VERY sharp, almost no wobblyness. Also didn't get much use because of the dead camera. FA 135/2.8 - Great lens, excellent shape, a few tiny specks and focus ring a little wobbly, but it works fine. In original box. Focuses nice and close! FA 28-70/4 - Good shape, a few rattles but I've seen worse samples. A nice kicking-around lens. F 80-200/4.7-5.6 - Cheapest AF lens I own, but the best put together (almost no rattles). Go figure. Almost like new with a couple of VERY tiny specks inside. Surprisingly nice lens in original box. 49mm filter size is a real bonus. Accessories: Battery pack, cable release, AF220T flash., assorted 49mm and 52mm UV filters. I really have no idea how much to ask. I bought them all through NYC retailers (mostly BH or Adorama), so I would expect some reasonable fraction of the new price depending on condition. I still have store receipts for most things. All have had very light use except for the 50/1.4 and 28-70/4, but even they are in quite good shape. I am reluctant to get rid of the 50 macro because it takes such excellent pictures and is reasonably pleasant to focus manually. I also love the 135/2.8. It takes great pictures too, but the wobbly focus ring means it works best as an AF lens, so I am definitely getting rid of it. (It should be clear by now that AF rattles drive me absolutely nuts!) A very nice prime lens kit would be the 28, 50 macro and 135. If someone buys all three I will throw in the ZX-5n with the dead autofocus motor. Who knows, an enterprising Pentaxian might be able to fix it. I could also throw in accessories if someone buys more than one of the remaining lenses. Anyway, feel free to make your best offer, or to give me advice on using E-Bay. I would prefer to ship in the USA or Canada, but I will take offers from farther afield if the price is right. Thanks in advance for your help. Coleman Nee _ MSN 8 helps eliminate e-mail viruses. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- Masz do pacenia prowizji bankowi ? mBank - za konto http://epieniadze.onet.pl/mbank
Re: Rumour mill again...
Rob Brigham wrote: snipped Obviously no estimated Street Value but my source tells me expect the final street price to be roughly $6,000. Release date sometime in April 2002. Presumably April 1, 2003? John
Re: Ethics of Documentary Photography
Dan Scott wrote: I applaud Glen's good works. But I don't know that good works earn anyone the right or an entitlement to photograph someone else. I understand that being in public entails being seen in public, but when you are homeless you have no privacy and no choice. You can't escape. If you are sick, dirty, hungry and cold, you can't pop home, throw your vomit/diarrhea stained clothing into the wash and make yourself presentable. Unless you are fortunate enough to loose your mind, you are entirely aware of how wretched your condition is and your powerlessness to raise yourself out of it. When someone comes along looking for something interesting to shoot, their interest in you is most likely in exploiting your misery for their benefit. I think that is wrong. Dan, That was beautifully expressed, and you have my wholehearted support for your views. Exploitation is precisely what this is. John
Re: Re: Rumour mill again...
Hi , Do you know if dslr accept also A, M and K lenses like present bodies. I still wonder what financial condition of Pentax is , if they are making profit selling their cameras or loss. Sometimes I also think about changing system since no one knows what the future for Pentax is. Canon/Nikon has now a few digital bodies and probably earn money since also pros buy their equipment. Pity few pros use Pentax one. Alek Uytkownik Pl Jensen [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: Rob wrote: The SLR will accept all 35mm Pentax-AF lenses and will have an environtmentally sealed body. If this is true, then it's film sibling is certainly the long awaited flagship Pl --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- wita tu tu! http://swieta.onet.pl
Re: Ethics of Documentary Photography
On the contrary, I think it raises awareness of the problem and their plight, and those who see such photos may include an extra blanket or a few more cans of food for a 'homeless collection drive'. Too many want to pretend they don't exist, but they do, and we all can do something about it. Brad - Original Message - From: John Whicker [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 6:07 AM Subject: Re: Ethics of Documentary Photography Dan Scott wrote: I applaud Glen's good works. But I don't know that good works earn anyone the right or an entitlement to photograph someone else. I understand that being in public entails being seen in public, but when you are homeless you have no privacy and no choice. You can't escape. If you are sick, dirty, hungry and cold, you can't pop home, throw your vomit/diarrhea stained clothing into the wash and make yourself presentable. Unless you are fortunate enough to loose your mind, you are entirely aware of how wretched your condition is and your powerlessness to raise yourself out of it. When someone comes along looking for something interesting to shoot, their interest in you is most likely in exploiting your misery for their benefit. I think that is wrong. Dan, That was beautifully expressed, and you have my wholehearted support for your views. Exploitation is precisely what this is. John
Re: Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
czesc!Mozesz cos wiecej napisac o tych nowych powlokach?Czy sie charakteryzuja? Niby nowy dslr ma obslugiwac obiektywy FA, a co z A M i K? Ciekaw jestem jak Pentax stoi finansowo, czy sprzedaje duzo puszek itd, czy tez przynosi straty jak bylo z LX-em. martwi mnie ze firma malo (niemal wcale nie liczy sie wsrod zawodowcow w malym obrazku). Nie chcialbym wychodzic z sytemu, uzbieralem troche klamotow, niektore szukalem 2 lata, a w innym nie kupie tak okazyjnie jak np SMC K 135/2.5, SMC K105/2.8 itd. Inna sprawa ze do Nikona i Canona jest duzo na wtornym rynku. Lekko rozdarty w sobie Alek Uytkownik Sylwester Pietrzyk [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: on 17.12.02 0:26, Rob Studdert at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Just look at lenses descriptions. It seems that ghostless coating is applied to almost every new lens produced after 199x (?)!!! So here we have not only Limiteds, but also new FA 35/2, FA* 200/4 Macro and even cheap long zooms like FA 100-300/4.7-5.8 and 80-320/4.5-5.6. Searching on the keyword ghostless on the European and US Pentax sites will reveal the press releases associated with lenses featuring Ghostless coatings, also and incidentally all are also SMC coated. You are right, but it also confirms what I said. Still Bojidar's site needs to be updated, just because almost every new lens (like cheapo FA 35-80/4-5.6) from Pentax features ghostless coating - not only the high end ones. Even older lenses has this coating - just look at FA 28-70/4. Japanese site has FULL INFORMATION which lenses have this feature and which have not. As usual it is far more complete than its European or American counterparts! Let's hope Boz will update K-mount equipment page in the future! -- Best Regards Sylwek --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- Masz do pacenia prowizji bankowi ? mBank - za konto http://epieniadze.onet.pl/mbank
Re: Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
At 12:23 17.12.2002 +0100, you wrote: czesc!Mozesz cos wiecej napisac o tych nowych powlokach?Czy sie charakteryzuja? Niby nowy dslr ma obslugiwac obiektywy FA, a co z A M i K? Ciekaw jestem jak Pentax stoi finansowo, czy sprzedaje duzo puszek itd, czy tez przynosi straty jak bylo z LX-em. martwi mnie ze firma malo (niemal wcale nie liczy sie wsrod zawodowcow w malym obrazku). Nie chcialbym wychodzic z sytemu, uzbieralem troche klamotow, niektore szukalem 2 lata, a w innym nie kupie tak okazyjnie jak np SMC K 135/2.5, SMC K105/2.8 itd. Inna sprawa ze do Nikona i Canona jest duzo na wtornym rynku. Lekko rozdarty w sobie Alek I see... but have no idea what you are talking about :-) Antti-Pekka --- * Antti-Pekka Virjonen * Fiskarsinkatu 7 D * GSM: +358 500 789 753 * * Computec Oy Turku* FIN-20750 Turku Finland * Fax: +358 10 264 0777 *
Re: Re: Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
Sorry I wanted to ask Sylwester directly, in Polish. Alek Uytkownik Antti-Pekka Virjonen [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: At 12:23 17.12.2002 +0100, you wrote: czesc!Mozesz cos wiecej napisac o tych nowych powlokach?Czy sie charakteryzuja? Niby nowy dslr ma obslugiwac obiektywy FA, a co z A M i K? Ciekaw jestem jak Pentax stoi finansowo, czy sprzedaje duzo puszek itd, czy tez przynosi straty jak bylo z LX-em. martwi mnie ze firma malo (niemal wcale nie liczy sie wsrod zawodowcow w malym obrazku). Nie chcialbym wychodzic z sytemu, uzbieralem troche klamotow, niektore szukalem 2 lata, a w innym nie kupie tak okazyjnie jak np SMC K 135/2.5, SMC K105/2.8 itd. Inna sprawa ze do Nikona i Canona jest duzo na wtornym rynku. Lekko rozdarty w sobie Alek I see... but have no idea what you are talking about :-) Antti-Pekka --- * Antti-Pekka Virjonen * Fiskarsinkatu 7 D * GSM: +358 500 789 753 * * Computec Oy Turku * FIN-20750 Turku Finland * Fax: +358 10 264 0777 * --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- Masz do pacenia prowizji bankowi ? mBank - za konto http://epieniadze.onet.pl/mbank
Re: Re: Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
Sorry I wanted to ask Sylwester directly, in Polish. Alek Uytkownik Antti-Pekka Virjonen [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: At 12:23 17.12.2002 +0100, you wrote: czesc!Mozesz cos wiecej napisac o tych nowych powlokach?Czy sie charakteryzuja? Niby nowy dslr ma obslugiwac obiektywy FA, a co z A M i K? Ciekaw jestem jak Pentax stoi finansowo, czy sprzedaje duzo puszek itd, czy tez przynosi straty jak bylo z LX-em. martwi mnie ze firma malo (niemal wcale nie liczy sie wsrod zawodowcow w malym obrazku). Nie chcialbym wychodzic z sytemu, uzbieralem troche klamotow, niektore szukalem 2 lata, a w innym nie kupie tak okazyjnie jak np SMC K 135/2.5, SMC K105/2.8 itd. Inna sprawa ze do Nikona i Canona jest duzo na wtornym rynku. Lekko rozdarty w sobie Alek I see... but have no idea what you are talking about :-) Antti-Pekka --- * Antti-Pekka Virjonen * Fiskarsinkatu 7 D * GSM: +358 500 789 753 * * Computec Oy Turku * FIN-20750 Turku Finland * Fax: +358 10 264 0777 * --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- Masz do pacenia prowizji bankowi ? mBank - za konto http://epieniadze.onet.pl/mbank
Re: Autobellows
Hi, The Pentax bellows system uses a double ended cable release to trip the shutter and close the diaphragm of the special bellows lens. This allows you to compose and focus, then take the picture without disrupting the setup and at the moment decided by you. On a camera without a cable release socket, or if you use a normal lens, this system will not work. You have to compose and focus with the lens wide open (for ease) and then close down to take. There is the possibility that this procedure could introduce errors of focus or composition. It is also more invasive to subjects which may be disturbed, such as insects. mike
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
On 17 Dec 2002 at 0:15, Scott Nelson wrote: Has anyone tried this before? I'm curious, but I think the second option would be much easier to implement and is reversible. Oh yeah, and does anyone have any beat up, broken A series lenses with f/2.5 or f/2.8 maximum apertures? PDMLer Mark Roberts has produced a template and will modify lenses, one of our French PDMLers has a web page dedicated to the discussion and Boz's KMP has quite detailed information regarding the mount code combinations and theory. I have also modified K and M lenses to replicate KA contacts in the past with success. Cheers, Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications.html
Re[2]: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
Sylwester wrote: SP You are right, but it also confirms what I said. Still Bojidar's site needs SP to be updated, just because almost every new lens (like cheapo FA SP 35-80/4-5.6) from Pentax features ghostless coating - not only the high end SP ones. Even older lenses has this coating - just look at FA 28-70/4. Hi Sylwester, I wouldn't rely on this when buying a FA 28-70/4. Mine was manufactured several years ago before the first ghostless SMC lens was officially acknowledged, and I doubt very much my sample has the new type of coating (not that it is a flare lagger ;o) ). I suppose this is the case with most batches of this lens, especially that it's been discontinued for some time now. Generally speaking, only the newest batches of the older lenses may be ghostless SMC coated, and there is no way you could know this for a fact before buying, even new. You can only be sure only of the glass released after the 43 limited. So I guess Boz site is less misleading like it is right now. Servus,Alin
Re: Auto bellows
- Original Message - From: Feroze Kistan Subject: Auto bellows This was the reply I got from the seller, does the explanation he gives make sense? And the answer is : Sorry for not answering your question sooner The bellows is the Auto Bellows A however the bellows can be used on the camera the problem is the MZS body does not have a cable release socket but a electronic one. Therefore when you use it on the camera it will fit but you would have to focus wide open and then shut the aperture of the lens manually down and then take the photo That would make use of the bellows unhandy, but would not prevent it's use. My understanding is that Pentax says the bellows cannot be used at all, which is why I think it must be an inability to mount it.. William Robb
Re: Mr. Stregevsky...
Please turn off the HTML (MIME format). It blows up some people's email (and it takes up a lot of room) My apologies to all for the bloat of my first four or five messages as a renewed PDML member. The strange thing is, I use MS Outlook 2002 set to Rich Text--not HTML. Nothing like this has ever happened before. (At least, no one has told me.) I might have suspected that PDML's new server can't handle Rich Text; the list server wouldn't unsubscribe me a few months ago, or resubscribe me this month, until I used Plain Text. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Rumour mill again...
- Original Message - From: John Whicker Subject: Re: Rumour mill again... If Asahi had offered the K bayonet mount at least 10 years earlier, Pentax would still be a brand of choice for the professional user. Staying with the M42 mount was the main cause of the decline of Pentax as a pro camera brand. Pentax would have had to never market the M42 mount then, but have gone straight into bayonet instead. I'm not so sure if Nikon became the system of choice for working pros because of the F mount, or for some other reason. It may have had to do with the superiority of the Nikon F camera. Or, it may have been a marketing coup.
Re: To get K30/2.8 ?
There's a 30/2.8K in Mint- for $375 at http://www.kevincameras.com . [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Re[2]: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
on 17.12.02 12:13, Alin Flaider at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Alin, I wouldn't rely on this when buying a FA 28-70/4. Mine was manufactured several years ago before the first ghostless SMC lens was officially acknowledged, and I doubt very much my sample has the new type of coating (not that it is a flare lagger ;o) ). I suppose this is the case with most batches of this lens, especially that it's been discontinued for some time now. well oficially many informations arrive from Japan to America and Europe for many months :-) But you are right, first bunch of 28-70/4 could have normal SMC and they could add ghostless coating later, as this is clearly stated on Japanese site in short info for this lens. But there is for instance relatively new FA 35-80/4-5.6 and FA* 200/4 Macro, which are supposed to have ghostless coating from the begining. Look at the press releases from USA site: http://www.pentaxusa.com/news/news_display.cfm?pressid=39 http://www.pentaxusa.com/news/news_display.cfm?pressid=32 Unfortunately no info on this on Boz site at both lenses... I still think our main page could be updated, if only Boz will find time (anyway it was a great effort to make this magnificient site possible!) Generally speaking, only the newest batches of the older lenses may be ghostless SMC coated, and there is no way you could know this for a fact before buying, even new. You can only be sure only of the glass released after the 43 limited. So I guess Boz site is less misleading like it is right now. The newest batches of older lenses and almost every new lens is coated using ghostless coating. That's the conclusion :-) -- Best Regards Sylwek
24/2.8K (was: Re: Re: K35/3.5 K35/2 M35/2.8 (was: Who has switched...))
I agree with Jonathan on all his points, especially regarding the 24/2.8K's contrast and saturation. Back in 2000, I believe, I voted the SMC 24/2.8K my favorite lens, adding that it makes me look like a better photographer than I am. Yesterday I mentioned that I sold it, and my Zenitar 20/2.5K, when I decided to compromise on a Carl Zeiss Jena 20/2.8K whose real focal length appears to be 22mm. Parting was painful, but happily the winning bidder lived in Hong Kong, where, he said, he was unable to find the 24/2.8K. I was happy I could transfer it to a happy new owner. Alek wrote: How do you assess K24/2.8 lens? Jonathan Donald replied: I have not done technical tests of any of my lenses, but my impressions and observations of this lens under real world use are as follows: Under magnification, it is not as sharp wide open in the corners as my K 5/3.5, (albeit 2.8 vs. 3.5). I imagine that this trend continues if examined under a microscope, but I find it to be visually very sharp at f4 and above. This is complimented by the fact that it has very nice, brilliant, color rendition and a ton of contrast. The images ~look~ very crisp with fine detail. I am also amazed at how resistent to flare this lens is. It usually exhibits those little repeating pentagons (ghosting I guess) under really bad lighting angles but dosen't tend to flare with the bright haze that ruins the whole image. I have used it a number of times to make diffraction sun-stars and the like with excellent results. Lens tests aside, I love this lens and consider it to be an awesome 24mm. I would not trade it for the FA* 24/2 because of the weight difference and fine build quality and feel of the K 24mm. It is easy to hyperfocal, and generally fast enough for most situations. It is my favorite wide angle, and probably my most used lens. Period. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
Hi, Sylwester wrote: You are right, but it also confirms what I said. Still Bojidar's site needs to be updated, just because almost every new lens (like cheapo FA 35-80/4-5.6) from Pentax features ghostless coating - not only the high end ones. Even older lenses has this coating - just look at FA 28-70/4. Alin Flaider wrote: I wouldn't rely on this when buying a FA 28-70/4. Mine was manufactured several years ago before the first ghostless SMC lens was officially acknowledged, and I doubt very much my sample has the new type of coating (not that it is a flare lagger ;o) ). I suppose this is the case with most batches of this lens, especially that it's been discontinued for some time now. Generally speaking, only the newest batches of the older lenses may be ghostless SMC coated, and there is no way you could know this for a fact before buying, even new. You can only be sure only of the glass released after the 43 limited. So I guess Boz site is less misleading like it is right now. Well, I went to the USA site today, and searched for ghostless. All that came up was: 24-90, 28-105/3.2-4.5, FA35/2, and FA200 Macro. I've updated my internal KMP version. There was also one more match on the USA site, and it was a press-release about the FA35-80/4-5.6 as well as FA100-300/4.7-5.8. Curiously, the ghostless coating was only mentioned on the 35-80 lens, and I assume that this is a mistake. Sylwester, you would not believe how many mistakes there are in these press-releases and product catalogs!!! After the changes that I made today (not yet visible for you guys), I will not modify the KMP until I get some more consvinsing evidence. Cheers, Boz
Re: Neat photos
Bill, First time I've seen anybody doing this at home. Long ago as an undergraduate, I saw lots of these pictures from Doc Edgerton's lab. Capturing bullets in mid flight was about the seminar class you could imagine. There is a book out there somewhere of Edgerton's photos. They are really high quality photographs of very short duration like on the site you reference. One of my favorites is a child bursting a balloon. The child has his eyes closed as he punctures the balloon. The balloon holds it's shape, but has a 3 inch hole in the side... as if you had peeled an orange. Absolutely facinating... Regards, Bob S. [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: While searching for information on .22 cal CB ammunition, I came across this page. Some really cool high speed flash photos here: http://www.tbullock.com/flash.html
Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
on 17.12.02 13:34, Bojidar Dimitrov at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Bojidar, Well, I went to the USA site today, and searched for ghostless. All that came up was: 24-90, 28-105/3.2-4.5, FA35/2, and FA200 Macro. I've updated my internal KMP version. There was also one more match on the USA site, and it was a press-release about the FA35-80/4-5.6 as well as FA100-300/4.7-5.8. Curiously, the ghostless coating was only mentioned on the 35-80 lens, and I assume that this is a mistake. Sylwester, you would not believe how many mistakes there are in these press-releases and product catalogs!!! I know that there are many mistakes. But incidentally on Japanese site both 100-300/4.7-5.8 and 35-80/4-5.6 are claimed to have ghostless coating - at least accordingly to bablefish tranlation - that's why I would ask somebody who knows Japanese very well to translate this fragments of lenses descriptions. And japanese site is usually quite accurate in terms of technical parameters. And it seems it wasn't just Japanese mistake, because only newer lenses are claimed to have ghostless coating. Now who will solve this problem??? After the changes that I made today (not yet visible for you guys), I will not modify the KMP until I get some more consvinsing evidence. Is there anybody who could go to Japanese Pentax site and read at which lenses is mentioned ghostless coating??? Please help us :-) -- Best Regards Sylwek
Party pics, Russian-style
My wife is Russian, and our family spent the weekend visiting her relatives in Brooklyn, New York. Saturday night was the main event, the celebration of her cousin Ilya's 50th birthday at a Russian restaurant. (The vodka flowed like water.) I went armed with two SLRs: A Super Program and a Ricoh XR-P. About an hour into the event, I began to have flash problems with both cameras and had to quit. (The Super Program needed a new camera battery and new AAs in the flash; the XR-P's dedicated flash was a freebie that I had been told may work erratically.) Just then, the real photographer arrived: a 50-something Russian man sporting a Nikon digital SLR on a large flash bracket. It's just as well that I can't shoot anymore, I thought; I wouldn't want to step on his toes. Well, this guy took maybe 20 pictures of people dancing and teenage girls posing by the window. I brought him a stool to stand on to get a better angle of the dancers, but he declined. Then he left. No table shots! (I hadn't taken any, either.) When I asked Ilya why the guy had taken so few shots, he explained how it's been proven that each time you take someone's picture, you take away part of their life energy. Whoever owns the print can hurt the person in the picture by--I dunno--tearing up the photograph. Ilya didn't want a stranger taking too many pics, not knowing what the photographer might do with them. Three years earlier, my live-in mother-in-law wouldn't let us keep a candid I had taken of my older daughter sleeping. It's bad luck to be photographed while you're sleeping. No wonder these people lost the Cold War. At around midnight, the photographer returned with mounted 8-by-10 color prints at $10 each! They were sharp and well-lit, I thought. But several of the relatives declined, saying that too many flaws showed up in their faces or that he hadn't posed the girls well. They look like your photographs, my mother-in-law's sister explained to me. (Hey--I don't claim to be a pro...or a poser!) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Re: more on ghostless coating [quite long]
Just ask Yoshihiko!! Alek Uytkownik Sylwester Pietrzyk [EMAIL PROTECTED] napisa: on 17.12.02 13:34, Bojidar Dimitrov at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Bojidar, Well, I went to the USA site today, and searched for ghostless. All that came up was: 24-90, 28-105/3.2-4.5, FA35/2, and FA200 Macro. I've updated my internal KMP version. There was also one more match on the USA site, and it was a press-release about the FA35-80/4-5.6 as well as FA100-300/4.7-5.8. Curiously, the ghostless coating was only mentioned on the 35-80 lens, and I assume that this is a mistake. Sylwester, you would not believe how many mistakes there are in these press-releases and product catalogs!!! I know that there are many mistakes. But incidentally on Japanese site both 100-300/4.7-5.8 and 35-80/4-5.6 are claimed to have ghostless coating - at least accordingly to bablefish tranlation - that's why I would ask somebody who knows Japanese very well to translate this fragments of lenses descriptions. And japanese site is usually quite accurate in terms of technical parameters. And it seems it wasn't just Japanese mistake, because only newer lenses are claimed to have ghostless coating. Now who will solve this problem??? After the changes that I made today (not yet visible for you guys), I will not modify the KMP until I get some more consvinsing evidence. Is there anybody who could go to Japanese Pentax site and read at which lenses is mentioned ghostless coating??? Please help us :-) -- Best Regards Sylwek --r-e-k-l-a-m-a- Masz do pacenia prowizji bankowi ? mBank - za konto http://epieniadze.onet.pl/mbank
RE: To get K30/2.8 ?
this guy's prices are insane. I've picked up many of the lenses he lists for 1/3 to 1/2 his quotes on ebay. JCO -Original Message- From: Paul Franklin Stregevsky [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 7:26 AM To: 'Pentax-Discuss' Subject: Re: To get K30/2.8 ? There's a 30/2.8K in Mint- for $375 at http://www.kevincameras.com . [EMAIL PROTECTED]
35mm scanner, resolution needed?
I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the matter once and for all or should I be waiting until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? JCO
Re: Mr. Stregevsky...
Welcome back Paul. We missed your articulate voice. Paul Stenquist
OT: Paul's Attachments
Paul, Your sending attachments on the last 4 mails to the pdml. Regards, Bob s. In a message dated 12/16/02 8:33:45 PM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: File: winmail.dat (6264 bytes) DL Time (50666 bps): 1 minute
Re: SMC Takumar 135/2.5
SN Even still, the entrance SN pupil on mine looks like about 51mm, which would make it f/2.6 or SN f/2.7. Same conclusion here. Yes. The Takumar Bayonet 135/2.5, with its meager 52mm filter thread (unlike the K 135/2.5, which has a 58mm thread) would seem to be unlikely to be much faster than f/2.8. http://www.cetussoft.com/pentax/135252.jpg [The SMC K 135/2.5 is on the left, while the Takumar Bayonet 135/2.5 is on the right.] Fred
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
one of our French PDMLers has a web page dedicated to the discussion Might you have the URL handy, Rob? Fred
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
J. C. O'Connell [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the matter once and for all or should I be waiting until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? This is a slightly controversial subject but I tend to agree with Michael Reichmann of Luminous Landscape that there's no practical benefit in going over about 4000 dpi - beyond that point the data you get is more about film grain than image information. He actually scans only up to 3200 dpi but most good film scanners these days are 4000 dpi resolution. You'd be surprised at the difference going from 2400 dpi just up to 2800 dpi, by the way. The difference in appearance is much greater than jou'd guess just from looking at the numbers. Stepping up to 3600 or 4000 dpi will be a real eye opener, I guarantee you! My scanner, a Kodak RFS 3600, scans at 3600 dpi, which is good enough for excellent 12 x 18 prints (as big as I care to go from 35mm film and as big as I *can* print with my Epson 1270). -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
In a message dated 12/17/02 2:17:43 AM Central Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Has anyone tried this before? I'm curious, but I think the second option would be much easier to implement and is reversible. Oh yeah, and does anyone have any beat up, broken A series lenses with f/2.5 or f/2.8 maximum apertures? Check the archives. Somebody has done the modification before and knows where to put the holes to get the right max aperture reading for the lens. Try Pentax parts for some extra K mount bayonetts. Regards, Bob S.
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
JCO, the current crop of 35mm film scanners (4000 dpi) is, by and large, adequate for most uses. With all but the less grainy films this is enough to make visible the grain structure. I doubt higher resoltion could get much more information from the average film. I had a few 20x28 prints made from Provia 100F scanned at 4000 dpi and they looked fine except for the horrible color shift. HTH. Ciao, Flavio
Re: Rumour mill again...
John Whicker wrote: Bob Blakely wrote: Once upon a time in the 35mm professional world, the Pentax Spotmatic was THE camera to have. If Asahi had offered the K bayonet mount at least 10 years earlier, Pentax would still be a brand of choice for the professional user. Staying with the M42 mount was the main cause of the decline of Pentax as a pro camera brand. I think you're right, John. Hard to say whose decision was involved, or why... but I too believe that having the K-mount earlier on might well have changed the entire picture. keith whaley
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Has anyone tried this before? I'm curious, but I think the second option would be much easier to implement and is reversible. Oh yeah, and does anyone have any beat up, broken A series lenses with f/2.5 or f/2.8 maximum apertures? Check the archives. Somebody has done the modification before and knows where to put the holes to get the right max aperture reading for the lens. That'd be me! http://www.robertstech.com/matrix.htm -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
Re: April 2003 PUG
I don't know, I don't think people pictures can be cliches unless they are very over posed as every person is an individual. Children and puppies are kind of a universal make me smile thing. Now, the typical tourist postcard, on the other hand... Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Ann Sanfedele [EMAIL PROTECTED] Treena wrote: unable to resist a tele lens shot of a pensive little kid clutching a flower AND a puppy. He taunted me with Puppies and children, Ann Maybe I can find that slide... :)
Re: fa 85mm 1.4 vs 77mm limited
Testing the FA 50/1.4 I have found there's no difference in sharpness between f/8 and f/5.6, while the f/4 comes very close. An extraordinary lens that begs for 25 ASA and tripod... An extraordinary lens indeed. Note that in Tim Sherburne's shot in this month's PUG that the optical quality of the A version is quite evident even on the monitor. And I hope everybody saw this: http://www.steves-digicams.com/smp/11242002.html --Mike The life of an intellectual should be a permanent reproach to the idea that knowledge can only be handed down to us from authority. (unattributed: unidentified TV talk show guest) Find out about Mike Johnston's unique photography newsletter, The 37th Frame, at http://www.37thframe.com.
Re: Mr. Stregevsky...
Message text written by INTERNET:[EMAIL PROTECTED] My apologies to all for the bloat of my first four or five messages as a renewed PDML member. The strange thing is, I use MS Outlook 2002 set to Rich Text--not HTML. Nothing like this has ever happened before. (At least, no one has told me.) I might have suspected that PDML's new server can't handle Rich Text; the list server wouldn't unsubscribe me a few months ago, or resubscribe me this month, until I used Plain Text. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Rich Text is a effectively the same as HTML. Herb
Re: Party pics, Russian-style
I found that a very interesting slice of life tale... Thanks for sharing it with us, Paul! keith whaley Paul Franklin Stregevsky wrote: My wife is Russian, and our family spent the weekend visiting her relatives in Brooklyn, New York. Saturday night was the main event, the celebration of her cousin Ilya's 50th birthday at a Russian restaurant. (The vodka flowed like water.) I went armed with two SLRs: A Super Program and a Ricoh XR-P. About an hour into the event, I began to have flash problems with both cameras and had to quit. (The Super Program needed a new camera battery and new AAs in the flash; the XR-P's dedicated flash was a freebie that I had been told may work erratically.) Just then, the real photographer arrived: a 50-something Russian man sporting a Nikon digital SLR on a large flash bracket. It's just as well that I can't shoot anymore, I thought; I wouldn't want to step on his toes. Well, this guy took maybe 20 pictures of people dancing and teenage girls posing by the window. I brought him a stool to stand on to get a better angle of the dancers, but he declined. Then he left. No table shots! (I hadn't taken any, either.) When I asked Ilya why the guy had taken so few shots, he explained how it's been proven that each time you take someone's picture, you take away part of their life energy. Whoever owns the print can hurt the person in the picture by--I dunno--tearing up the photograph. Ilya didn't want a stranger taking too many pics, not knowing what the photographer might do with them. Three years earlier, my live-in mother-in-law wouldn't let us keep a candid I had taken of my older daughter sleeping. It's bad luck to be photographed while you're sleeping. No wonder these people lost the Cold War. At around midnight, the photographer returned with mounted 8-by-10 color prints at $10 each! They were sharp and well-lit, I thought. But several of the relatives declined, saying that too many flaws showed up in their faces or that he hadn't posed the girls well. They look like your photographs, my mother-in-law's sister explained to me. (Hey--I don't claim to be a pro...or a poser!) [EMAIL PROTECTED]
35mm scanner, resolution needed?
Message text written by INTERNET:[EMAIL PROTECTED] I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the matter once and for all or should I be waiting until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? JCO at 4000 dpi, the Provia 100F and Kodachrome 25 scans i make show grain as most of the detail i get. since scanning at odd multiples or submultiples of the optical resolution slows down the scan to do the software interpolation, i leave my scanner set to 4000dpi. that plus i prefer to scan once at maximum useful resolution and color depth to work with the images from there on my computer, making backup or variations files as necessary. i find that increased color depth is very nice to have during the time i am making initial adjustments, but at over 100MB per image, it takes up a lot of disk space. also, many Photoshop features don't work in 16-bit/channel mode. Herb...
Questions on ZX-L
I'm thinking of getting a ZX-L, and I have a few questions, since what I'm reading in the downloaded manual doesn't seem to coincide with the list of features on the Pentax web site. One is the strobe-assisted focusing, firing the flash to help focus in low light conditions. The on-line comparison charts says it doesn't do that, although the ZX-7 does. The manual makes some brief mention of it. Or I thought I saw it, but I can't seem to find it now. So does it have that or not? The other is trailing shutter curtain synch. The on-line comparison chart says it doesn't do that, the manual says it does with certain flashes, the AF360FGZ and etc. It says that if the external flash is set to trailing curtain sync the built-in flash will also be set to trailing curtain sync. But the manual doesn't explain how to set the camera to trailing curtain sync. So does the camera do this or not? Or does it do that when the right flash is set that way, and it wasn't mentioned in the manual because the manual tells you how to use the camera, not the external flash? And a user-settable parameter determines whether spot metering or matrix metering is used with the AE memory lock, which means it's not so convenient to switch between them. The matrix metering is supposed to be good, but if I were looking somewhere else to get the exposure it almost seems like I should use spot metering, since matrix metering would get a reading based on a whole scene that's not the scene I wanted to shoot. Is there any strong arguments for keeping that set to matrix or spot? Thanks.
Re: Mr. Stregevsky...
The problem is that RTF is viewed as HTML by Email clients (and in this case, the list) that cannot read RTF. Please refer to the Microsoft Knowledge Base info at: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q217390 As usual, this is because there's a proprietary M$ thing that is used in Outlook when sending something in RTF. CHeers, Dave Original Message: - From: Paul Franklin Stregevsky [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 07:20:31 -0500 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: Mr. Stregevsky... Please turn off the HTML (MIME format). It blows up some people's email (and it takes up a lot of room) My apologies to all for the bloat of my first four or five messages as a renewed PDML member. The strange thing is, I use MS Outlook 2002 set to Rich Text--not HTML. Nothing like this has ever happened before. (At least, no one has told me.) I might have suspected that PDML's new server can't handle Rich Text; the list server wouldn't unsubscribe me a few months ago, or resubscribe me this month, until I used Plain Text. [EMAIL PROTECTED] mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
depends on what you are shooting. i am pretty sure that with anything color, 4000dpi is as high as it is makes sense to go (and very rarely). bw is a different story though -- tmax100 seems to have frightening high res (although i don't have a lot of experience with it). best, mishka I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the matter once and for all or should I be waiting until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? JCO
Re: Questions on ZX-L
on 17.12.02 15:18, Gregory L. Hansen at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Gregory, One is the strobe-assisted focusing, firing the flash to help focus in low light conditions. The on-line comparison charts says it doesn't do that, although the ZX-7 does. The manual makes some brief mention of it. Or I thought I saw it, but I can't seem to find it now. So does it have that or not? Yes it does. The other is trailing shutter curtain synch. The on-line comparison chart says it doesn't do that, the manual says it does with certain flashes, the AF360FGZ and etc. It says that if the external flash is set to trailing curtain sync the built-in flash will also be set to trailing curtain sync. But the manual doesn't explain how to set the camera to trailing curtain sync. So does the camera do this or not? Or does it do that when the right flash is set that way, and it wasn't mentioned in the manual because the manual tells you how to use the camera, not the external flash? ZX-L will work in trailing shutter flash synchro (including built-in flash) when you have any flash which support this function (any of the AF-series Pentax flashes, Metz flashes with apropriate SCA cube, some Sigma flashes too). All you have to do is just to set external flash in this mode. And a user-settable parameter determines whether spot metering or matrix metering is used with the AE memory lock, which means it's not so convenient to switch between them. The matrix metering is supposed to be good, but if I were looking somewhere else to get the exposure it almost seems like I should use spot metering, since matrix metering would get a reading based on a whole scene that's not the scene I wanted to shoot. Is there any strong arguments for keeping that set to matrix or spot? It is not too convenient, but it is better than not having spot metering at all. AE-lock for matrix metering is usable only when you you use for instance self-timer to prevent camera from changing exposure when light enters from behind in viewfinder. But you can use then viewfinder cup supplied with camera of course. I would surely leave spot metering on AE-L button set constantly! -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
Message text written by INTERNET:[EMAIL PROTECTED] I had a few 20x28 prints made from Provia 100F scanned at 4000 dpi and they looked fine except for the horrible color shift. HTH. Ciao, Flavio who did the printing or color adjustments? Herb...
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
Rob Studdert wrote : - On 17 Dec 2002 at 0:15, Scott Nelson wrote: Has anyone tried this before? I'm curious, but I think the second option would be much easier to implement and is reversible. Oh yeah, and does anyone have any beat up, broken A series lenses with f/2.5 or f/2.8 maximum apertures? PDMLer Mark Roberts has produced a template and will modify lenses, one of our French PDMLers has a web page dedicated to the discussion and Boz's KMP has quite detailed information regarding the mount code combinations and theory. I have also modified K and M lenses to replicate KA contacts in the past with success. Cheers, Hi, I am a bit confused about what is being discussed here. In my understanding (which may be wrong of course) the A-lenses' current circuit is only closed when the lens is set to the A-position, i.e. when the A-contact of the lens is protruded (as opposed to F and FA lenses). It is thus my understanding that multisegment metering only works with A-lenses when they are set to the A-position. So just adding the plastic insulators to a K/M lens, according to the code given on Boz' page would not make much sense (as the camera's A-contact is recessed and does not (and should not) connect with the metal lens mount of the K/M lens). Multisegment metering would only work in manual mode with an A-lens or with an K/M lens if the camera's lens mount is current carrying even if the A-contact is not connected. Is this the case? Alexander Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications.html __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
on 17.12.02 15:52, Alexander Krohe at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi Alexander, Hi, I am a bit confused about what is being discussed here. In my understanding (which may be wrong of course) the A-lenses' current circuit is only closed when the lens is set to the A-position, i.e. when the A-contact of the lens is protruded (as opposed to F and FA lenses). It is thus my understanding that multisegment metering only works with A-lenses when they are set to the A-position. So just adding the plastic insulators to a K/M lens, according to the code given on Boz' page would not make much sense (as the camera's A-contact is recessed and does not (and should not) connect with the metal lens mount of the K/M lens). This is not true. I have checked it twice, and matrix metering will work with A lenses in other position than A. Just made two tests: 1. On PZ-1P metering mode is always displayed on LCD. In case of using A lenses matrix metering is on all the time - even if such a lens is set in other postion than A. As a contrary with all M and K lenses CW metering is on all the time 2. On MZ-S and MZ-6, when you use original AF360FGZ flash, they need some information from lenses to work in P-TTL mode. And indeed P-TTL and flash range works also with A lenses in aperture ring in position other than A. K and M lenses swith flash operation to classic TTL mode and you won't obtain flash range information on AF360 LCD. -- Best Regards Sylwek
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
Herb Chong wrote: ... who did the printing or color adjustments? Herb... The service my customer sent my slides for digitalisation :-(((. I blamed the printing which had been done on big plastic sheets (40x28) but then I got to see the scans on the CDs and they were exactly the same color... I guess they don't know what the right color of Poppies is or, more probably, they don't give a damn about the results they deliver. Not a very wise business attitude but perhaps they just weren't asked for extra care. Flavio
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
Alexander Krohe [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I am a bit confused about what is being discussed here. In my understanding (which may be wrong of course) the A-lenses' current circuit is only closed when the lens is set to the A-position, i.e. when the A-contact of the lens is protruded (as opposed to F and FA lenses). This much you have correct. It is thus my understanding that multisegment metering only works with A-lenses when they are set to the A-position. This is where you've gone off track. The A contact has *nothing* to do with the metering mode. It's all the *other* contacts on the camera body that affect matrix metering (and A lenses will work with matrix metering no matter how you set the aperture ring). Multisegment metering would only work in manual mode with an A-lens or with an K/M lens if the camera's lens mount is current carrying even if the A-contact is not connected. Is this the case? No, matrix metering will work in autoexposure mode or manual and the A contact won't affect it. See the explanation on my web page. http://www.robertstech.com/matrix.htm -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
Pentax User
I did a wedding Saturday, and while I was wandering around the groom's grandmother came up to me and told me how pleased she was to see me using Pentax. Turns out she has a PZ-1p that's a bit complicated for her, but her favorite body is her LX! Favorite lens is an A 100 macro. She's trying to find a replacement for her Sigma APO 400mm. She thinks it's too soft. Gotta love the idea of a 70 year old lady hauling around a PZ-1p and a 400mm tv
Re: Pentax User
What about a 70 years old man doing the same? He thinks the Apo 400 mm is not so soft at f8 and smaller. Or is there a difference between what old men can get out of a given piece of equipment compared with old women? Don't take this too seriously. On my website there are a few pictures of tree tops all taken with the 400mm f5.6 Sigma APO wide open. Its quite acceptable even at f5.6. This link will take you there: http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams/hold/index.htm Don Dr E D F Williams http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams Author's Web Site and Photo Gallery Updated: March 30, 2002 - Original Message - From: tom [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: pdml [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 6:08 PM Subject: Pentax User I did a wedding Saturday, and while I was wandering around the groom's grandmother came up to me and told me how pleased she was to see me using Pentax. Turns out she has a PZ-1p that's a bit complicated for her, but her favorite body is her LX! Favorite lens is an A 100 macro. She's trying to find a replacement for her Sigma APO 400mm. She thinks it's too soft. Gotta love the idea of a 70 year old lady hauling around a PZ-1p and a 400mm tv
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
Rob Studdert a écrit: On 17 Dec 2002 at 0:15, Scott Nelson wrote: Has anyone tried this before? I'm curious, but I think the second option would be much easier to implement and is reversible. Oh yeah, and does anyone have any beat up, broken A series lenses with f/2.5 or f/2.8 maximum apertures? PDMLer Mark Roberts has produced a template and will modify lenses, one of our French PDMLers has a web page dedicated to the discussion and Boz's KMP has I'm the French PDMLer: French page on my web (You can translate these pages with: http://babel.altavista.com/tr) The good link is: http://perso.wanadoo.fr/krg/Photo/multizone.htm Sorry I write multizonr in past reply And so, You can use P-TTL, HS-sync with the AF360FGZ ! Michel
Re: buying a K2 and a KX, advice?
Hello Rodelion My experience with my KX has been fine - meter working and spot on. It's worth mentioning that these cameras are approaching thirty years old. The mirror box foam will be rotting and the light trapping around the back will be turning to goo and lubricants will be dry. I think everyone should factor in the cost of a CLA as a matter of course - at which time the meter can be calibrated. An earlier reply seems to suggest that a dead meter is not repairable, I don't know about that, perhaps you could ring a service facility and ask. The KX has all the features I like: No battery dependance ISO goes to 6400 (MX only to 1600!!??) Mirror-up and timer useable (LX you can't use the timer with the mirror up) Aperture in viewfinder (not so on non-drive K2) User friendly match-needle metering. In some ways I think it was a pinnacle of Pentax cameras. I like the MX but why no lock-up and only 1600 on this later camera? Anton ___ Freeserve AnyTime, only £13.99 per month with one month's FREE trial! For more information visit http://www.freeserve.com/time/ or call free on 0800 970 8890
K A 24mm f2.8 the same?
The K and A 24mm lenses are the same are they not? Apart from appearance. Thanks Anton ___ Freeserve AnyTime, only £13.99 per month with one month's FREE trial! For more information visit http://www.freeserve.com/time/ or call free on 0800 970 8890
Re: buying a K2 and a KX, advice?
Anton Browne [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: An earlier reply seems to suggest that a dead meter is not repairable, I don't know about that, perhaps you could ring a service facility and ask. Note that both KXs I've worked on had identical symptoms. Since I verified that the problem with the meter was neither the photocells nor the galvanometer, that pretty much leaves the electronic circuitry on the meter board (which *is* getting power from the battery). The only active component I can find is a 10-pin surface-mount IC. If it's an op-amp I'll probably be able to come up with a replacement as long as I can determine the pinout. If it's an ASIC then the show's over. I suspect the former but havenlt investigated yet. The markings on the chips are NEC 1005E593A on one camera and NEC 1005K572B on the other. NEC is the manufacturer, 1005 is the chip designation and the last 4 characters are probably some kind of manufacturing code. Anyone have access to a semiconductor database to find out more about a 1005 chip made by NEC in a 10-pin SOIC package? I've seen an awful lot of KXs for sale on eBay that either admit the meter's not working or coyly say I don't have batteries so I can't test the meter. Sold as is. More than for any other Pentax model. If it *is* the IC and I can find a substitute, I may buy a few and re-sell 'em! -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
I've had good success scanning 35mm at 4800, even at 4000 for up to 8x10. Paul J. C. O'Connell wrote: I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the matter once and for all or should I be waiting until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? JCO
K A 24mm f2.8 the same?
i had both -- they were identical (maybe, apart from coating). mishka From: Anton Browne Subject: K A 24mm f2.8 the same? Date: Tue, 17 Dec 2002 08:58:43 -0800 - The K and A 24mm lenses are the same are they not? Apart from appearance. Thanks Anton
Re: buying a K2 and a KX, advice?
Thank you all for your replies. It will help me with my purchase. Now I have to unsubscribe again, caus my woman thinks this (very enjoyable) mailing list costs me too much time (time she wants me to spend with her). So I'll see you guys later another time. And oh... I could of course go for the 'no mail' option... I've heard about it... Could anyone tell me how to do that? And Mark, I'll try to get in touch with someone from my old college (electrotechnics) to check if someone can identify the codes. Take care y'all. Rodelion. - Original Message - From: Mark Roberts [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 6:27 PM Subject: Re: buying a K2 and a KX, advice? Anton Browne [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: An earlier reply seems to suggest that a dead meter is not repairable, I don't know about that, perhaps you could ring a service facility and ask. Note that both KXs I've worked on had identical symptoms. Since I verified that the problem with the meter was neither the photocells nor the galvanometer, that pretty much leaves the electronic circuitry on the meter board (which *is* getting power from the battery). The only active component I can find is a 10-pin surface-mount IC. If it's an op-amp I'll probably be able to come up with a replacement as long as I can determine the pinout. If it's an ASIC then the show's over. I suspect the former but havenlt investigated yet. The markings on the chips are NEC 1005E593A on one camera and NEC 1005K572B on the other. NEC is the manufacturer, 1005 is the chip designation and the last 4 characters are probably some kind of manufacturing code. Anyone have access to a semiconductor database to find out more about a 1005 chip made by NEC in a 10-pin SOIC package? I've seen an awful lot of KXs for sale on eBay that either admit the meter's not working or coyly say I don't have batteries so I can't test the meter. Sold as is. More than for any other Pentax model. If it *is* the IC and I can find a substitute, I may buy a few and re-sell 'em! -- Mark Roberts Photography and writing www.robertstech.com
RE: How I spend my Sunday afternoons
We have 2 horses at the boarding facility that do that too,Billg Dave Original Message: - From: William Robb [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 21:25:46 -0600 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: How I spend my Sunday afternoons Hi: No Pentax content, as the pictures were taken with a students Olympus thing. Fun stuff, and under 100 kilobytes. A picture of me in every shot. Well, no, I'm not is one of them. http://users.accesscomm.ca/wrobb/canine_motivating/ William Robb mail2web - Check your email from the web at http://mail2web.com/ .
Re: Whew....
On Monday, December 16, 2002, at 09:45 PM, Pat White wrote: I notice you're in Victoria, Australia. Here in Victoria, Canada, it's 10C, windy and rainy. Is there a third Victoria, and are there any PDMLers there? Pat White See http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/VV/hdv1.html and http://www.wunderground.com/US/TX/Victoria.html Dan Scott
OT: Any Retina collectors out there?
I got some nice stuff today. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemitem=1946284547
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
JCO wrote: JCOC I can see from my 35mm 100 speed film JCOC negs that the 2400 dpi scanner I'm using JCOC is inadequate. Will 4800 ppi settle the JCOC matter once and for all or should I be waiting JCOC until 6400 or 7200 ppi scanners arrive to upgrade? Strictly theoretically speaking, a 4800 dpi is only capable of accurately sampling 47 lines per mm. This is derived from Nyquist's sampling theorem, according to which you can only sample half the frequency of the sampling machine: 4800 dpi / 2 / 2 dots per line / 25.4 mm/inch = 47 lines per mm Of course in the real world you can get better or worse than that, depending on how the sensor array aligns with the film pattern. But to get the maximum of a 100 ASA film that usually peaks above 50 lpm at 1.6:1 contrast degree, you obviously need more than 4800 dpi. Servus, Alin
Re: Party pics, Russian-style,
No wonder these people lost the Cold War. I found the general story funny and the quoted statement offensive. I lived in Russia for 31 years and took many pictures and only read in books about something similar somewhere overseas. The case you described exsisted, I am sure, but leads to not very correct generalization. I personally thought that we lost that war because of wrong ideology and economy and also because of huge losses in the WWII. Best regards, Gleb Baida, Ph.D. Russian. ___ GO.com Mail Get Your Free, Private E-mail at http://mail.go.com
Re: April 2003 PUG and conrect attri
Although quoted in reply to Treena... annsan wrote the puppies and children thing... It kinda looked in your quote below that I was quoting treena telling a story about someone named Ann anyway... T Rittenhouse wrote: I don't know, I don't think people pictures can be cliches unless they are very over posed as every person is an individual. Children and puppies are kind of a universal make me smile thing. Now, the typical tourist postcard, on the other hand... Aside from sunsets, I think cutseypie pictures of children with goo on their face, are about as cliched as you can get... or how about grandma with a toddler grandchild? They don't have to be poorly shot pictures to be a cliche - but they probably should have a Norman Rockwell look to them :) Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Ann Sanfedele [EMAIL PROTECTED] Treena wrote: quoting annsan who wrote unable to resist a tele lens shot of a pensive little kid clutching a flower AND a puppy. He taunted me with Puppies and children, Ann Maybe I can find that slide... :) annsan quoting all that stuff above
Re[2]: SMC Takumar 135/2.5
Fred wrote: F [The SMC K 135/2.5 is on the left, while the Takumar Bayonet F 135/2.5 is on the right.] Fred, Unfortunately I was referring to the SMC K 135/2.5 . :o( The front lens diameter as it appeared to my limited measuring capabilities is around 52mm, that translates to an aperture of 2.6 or so. Worse even - the meter agrees. Servus, Alin
RE: April 2003 PUG and conrect attri
Perhaps an interesting twist on the Cliché theme. Imagine producing an image that illustrates a common cliché. For instance: A fork in the road Imagine a long hilly road stretching off into the distance. Image take at ground level in the middle of the road. Long yellow double lines stretching off into the distance and telephone poles lining one side of the road. Fields of grass (or corn or wheat or whatever) on either side. And stuck into the road about 15 feet in front of the camera is a pitch fork. Now many will get technical and ask how this could be done. This could be done digitally, or by sawing off the ends of the tines to make it look like it was actually stuck in the road, or by finding an asphalt road that is soft enough from the hot summer sun to actually stick the fork in. Anyway the technique is not so important. The idea is just the literal interpretation of the cliché into an image. You can pick any cliché and illustrate it in visual and literal terms. Here's another: Put up your Dukes Several pictures of John Wayne hanging on drying clips in a darkroom. Egg on your face This ones obvious All of that and a bag of chips Think of a table filled with all kinds of non-related items; razor blades, comb, cassette tape, pencils, old photos, forks, envelopes, etc (you get the idea) and off to the side by itself is a bag of chips (any brand you like) ... Snowballs chance in Hell This could be an interesting challenge ... So this is the idea anyway. What do you think? Glen -Original Message- From: Ann Sanfedele [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 12:35 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: April 2003 PUG and conrect attri Although quoted in reply to Treena... annsan wrote the puppies and children thing... It kinda looked in your quote below that I was quoting treena telling a story about someone named Ann anyway... T Rittenhouse wrote: I don't know, I don't think people pictures can be cliches unless they are very over posed as every person is an individual. Children and puppies are kind of a universal make me smile thing. Now, the typical tourist postcard, on the other hand... Aside from sunsets, I think cutseypie pictures of children with goo on their face, are about as cliched as you can get... or how about grandma with a toddler grandchild? They don't have to be poorly shot pictures to be a cliche - but they probably should have a Norman Rockwell look to them :) Ciao, Graywolf http://pages.prodigy.net/graywolfphoto - Original Message - From: Ann Sanfedele [EMAIL PROTECTED] Treena wrote: quoting annsan who wrote unable to resist a tele lens shot of a pensive little kid clutching a flower AND a puppy. He taunted me with Puppies and children, Ann Maybe I can find that slide... :) annsan quoting all that stuff above
Re: K, M series lens matrix metering hack
This is where you've gone off track. The A contact has *nothing* to do with the metering mode. It's all the *other* contacts on the camera body that affect matrix metering (and A lenses will work with matrix metering no matter how you set the aperture ring). I see now, the A contact on the body is slightly recessed, so a K or M series lens will not short this contact to ground. Thanks for the tips, I think I might try this on my SMC 24/2.8. Is it advisable to remove the lens mount before drilling? -Scott
Re: The way things might have been - WAS: Rumour mill again...
Pentax is good value for the money, while Nikon or Leica would make me a poor man. Regards, Rod. - Original Message - From: Bob Blakely [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 9:57 PM Subject: Re: The way things might have been - WAS: Rumour mill again... I'd be shooting Pentax. It's about the glass. Regards, Bob Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy! - Benjamin Franklin From: Mark D. [EMAIL PROTECTED] It was stated: Once upon a time in the 35mm professional world, the Pentax Spotmatic was THE camera to have. If Asahi had offered the K bayonet mount at least 10 years earlier, Pentax would still be a brand of choice for the professional user. Staying with the M42 mount was the main cause of the decline of Pentax as a pro camera brand. If Pentax had abandoned the M42 mount and continued to the the cutting edge leader in 35mm camera production/technology, that implies that they would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization, hypersonic type af motors and who knows what else. If this was the case, how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G?
Re: Whew....
Shaun wrote: I'll be down to my frilly knickers by lunchtime. Er, thanks for sharing... Pat White ps. Thanks, Dan, the site turned up 11 Victorias (but not the one in Australia, oddly enough).
Hypothetical Question
If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: Hypothetical Question
Despite my having fun recently with my most modern camera, a PZ-1, and a few autofocus lenses, I always have to go back to one of the older bodies after a little while (or have a black-and-white roll going at the same time in an older body). Of my older cameras, the MX, Spotmatic, and the ESII are my most used and are truly a joy to use. I would miss them far more than the PZ-1 if I had to choose. Joe P.S. What is it about the ESII that makes it such a delight? I've made some really nice photos and have had a lot of fun with it in the past year -- despite its big and somewhat clunky size and generous weight! If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: Autobellows
You can use the bellows unit with the MZ-S. I have a Bellows K, and found it wouldn't fit when the BG-10 grip was installed, until I realized you can loosen the setscrew on the bellows mount and rotate the unit 90 degrees. There's no clearance problem, but the camera is in the vertical position. Depending on your subject, that may not matter, since you're using the vertical grip. The fact that it's a manual unit does make it slow to operate, and best for non-moving subjects. Pat White
Advice for a microscope for photog. purpose?
I would like to enter the world of microphotography. What microscope type is the most usefull for photographers. I already have the Microscope Adapter K and two Mplan lenses (5X and 10X). Basic Olympus microscopes seem to go for little money on eBay. Maybe Don could give me some advices? Andre --
Re: Hypothetical Question
- Original Message - From: Mike Johnston Subject: Hypothetical Question So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? For me, the question isn't hypothetical. We have an MZ-5 in the house. I have used it once, and found I didn't like the cheapness of it. William Robb
Re: Don't buy lenses with fungus, HALT!
By the way, I found in reference books on optics that acetone is a safe product to use on glass if you want to clean fungus. To be used pure unless the lens is a doublet (or a triplet) when it have to be diluted 1:1 with water. I'm not sure this is enough to really wipe out all fungus though. Another recipe mentionned on the web was ammonia peroxyde d'H 1:1. Andre --
Re: Party pics, Russian-style
Paul Franklin Stregevsky wrote: [big snip] When I asked Ilya why the guy had taken so few shots, he explained how it's been proven that each time you take someone's picture, you take away part of their life energy. Whoever owns the print can hurt the person in the picture by--I dunno--tearing up the photograph. Ilya didn't want a stranger taking too many pics, not knowing what the photographer might do with them. That's an odd one. I spent two years in Russia and married a Russian woman. I found that many Russians have a variety of superstitious beliefs, but this is one I never heard mentioned. While I was there I attended a lot of parties and people took pictures like crazy, and nobody ever objected or raised this concern. My wife still takes lots of pictures -- at parties, at the office, etc. We have drawers bulgingly full of 4x6 prints. Perhaps it is a regional thing. I was in Moscow and that is where my wife is from. Maybe this belief is from another part of the country -- it is a very big place. :) Bob Harris New York City
Re: Autobellows
The model in question was the Bellows A, does the camera work with the K if you remove the grip? Feroze - Original Message - From: Pat White [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 11:59 PM Subject: Re: Autobellows You can use the bellows unit with the MZ-S. I have a Bellows K, and found it wouldn't fit when the BG-10 grip was installed, until I realized you can loosen the setscrew on the bellows mount and rotate the unit 90 degrees. There's no clearance problem, but the camera is in the vertical position. Depending on your subject, that may not matter, since you're using the vertical grip. The fact that it's a manual unit does make it slow to operate, and best for non-moving subjects. Pat White
Re: Hypothetical Question
Mike, Found myself using/mixing the PZ-1p with manual lenses and some autofocus at my daughter's gym meets. This week I switched back to the LX with a winder. Two advantages were apparent. 1. The shutter lag was shorter with the LX. This is not a surprise, but I'm surprised that I noticed. 2. The manual lenses snap into focus better on the LX than on the PZ-1p. This is what I was hoping for. Now I've got to check the prints. The manual focus is still a winner. I'm not looking forward to being forced to autofocus. Regards, Bob S. In a message dated 12/17/2002 4:30:54 PM Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be?
Re: Party pics, Russian-style,
- Original Message - From: Gleb Baida Subject: Re: Party pics, Russian-style, I personally thought that we lost that war because of wrong ideology and economy and also because of huge losses in the WWII. Wasn't the cold war caused by wrong ideology? William Robb
Re: Rumour mill again...
I don't think that staying with m42 helped Pentax much, in terms of losing the pro 35mm market. But I don't think that's the whole reason. The Spotmatic may have been used by pros in the 60's, but it was, AFAIK, always a distant second to the Nikon F series. I think that the F having features like interchangeable prisms and focusing screens might have been more of a reason that a pro would consider one of those over a Spottie. Of course, I could be wrong... ciao, frank Keith Whaley wrote: I think you're right, John. Hard to say whose decision was involved, or why... but I too believe that having the K-mount earlier on might well have changed the entire picture. keith whaley -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: Hypothetical Question
On 17 Dec 2002 at 15:30, Mike Johnston wrote: So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I currently have the option of picking up an MZ-S or LX and if it had to be one the LX would be my choice. Cheers, Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications.html
Re: Hypothetical Question
Autofocus? We don't need no stinkin' autofocus! Give me an LX any day Christian Skofteland [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 4:30 PM Subject: Hypothetical Question If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: Hypothetical Question
My Pentax bodies are an MX, and 3 Spotmatics. My bodies from other brands are all metal, manual focus, and with the exception of my Yashica Electro 35, mechanical shutter. I can't see myself ever going plastic (sorry, polycarbonate g). There are so many good old bodies out there for decent prices, why bother? I don't need AF or AE, although I do hope one day to own an LX. Were I to upgrade, it would be to decent Medium Format (not that I don't like my Yashica Mat, but it does have it's limitations), likely a 6x7 or 67. cheers, frank Mike Johnston wrote: Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: Hypothetical Question
Sorry Mike, I lean the other way! The conveniences of modern metering systems and selective AF (when appropriate), together with the toughness given by the use of a mix of modern plastics and alloys in cameras such as the MZ-S would always draw me towards them. I have seen many Spotmatics which have died, and I know while it would be true to say that we won't know how long any camera will last until it reaches the same vintage, my guess is that the fewer mechanical parts a camera has to wear out, and the more modular it is in construction, the longer it will be around. John Coyle Brisbane, Australia - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 7:30 AM Subject: Hypothetical Question So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: Hypothetical Question
Too bad because your missing out on using a very nice camera. I have a ZX-5n, and while it is a polycarbonate body, it has a very nice feel too it and has great simple features that fall easily to hand. This camera has produced time after time for me over the past 3 years. It's not a coincidence that it has won camera of the year awards after it's introduction some 6-7 years ago. DG At 04:11 PM 12/17/02 -0600, you wrote: - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston Subject: Hypothetical Question So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? For me, the question isn't hypothetical. We have an MZ-5 in the house. I have used it once, and found I didn't like the cheapness of it. William Robb
Re: 35mm scanner, resolution needed?
On 17 Dec 2002 at 20:18, Alin Flaider wrote: Strictly theoretically speaking, a 4800 dpi is only capable of accurately sampling 47 lines per mm. This is derived from Nyquist's sampling theorem, according to which you can only sample half the frequency of the sampling machine: 4800 dpi / 2 / 2 dots per line / 25.4 mm/inch = 47 lines per mm Of course in the real world you can get better or worse than that, depending on how the sensor array aligns with the film pattern. But to get the maximum of a 100 ASA film that usually peaks above 50 lpm at 1.6:1 contrast degree, you obviously need more than 4800 dpi. Agreed, there are several films that I have scanned at 4000dpi that reveal a deal more detail under a microscope at 40x magnification. I doubt however that there is a great impetus for manufacturers of consumer scanners to produce machines capable of greater than 4000dpi resolution. Check out the Imacon site, you might be able to pic one up on eBay cheap, see: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItemitem=2074387396 Cheers, Rob Studdert HURSTVILLE AUSTRALIA Tel +61-2-9554-4110 UTC(GMT) +10 Hours [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://members.ozemail.com.au/~distudio/publications.html
Re: 80-200mm 2.8 with 2x tc or 135-400mm
On general principals I would have to say yes. At 10:22 AM 12/14/2002 +1030, you wrote: i have a tokina 80-200 and a kenko 2x convertor and was wondering if i would get a better image with a 135-400mm sigma apo? any advice?
Re: Hypothetical Question
I have had AF in the past (SF1N Pz1P) and switched back to mechanical cameras. The Spotmatic SP is still a favourite along with the LX. Note - I am not afraid to use Takumars on my LX and do from time to time. I love the SP as much as I do the LX. Sorry Mike, I don't like auto anything. Bob - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: The way things might have been - WAS: Rumour mill again...
Mark's comments: If Asahi had offered the K bayonet mount at least 10 years earlier, Pentax would still be a brand of choice for the professional user. It would have helped to have come out with bayonnet mount 3 or 4 years earlier, but 10 years? I don't think so. Until the end of the sixties, screw mounting was not seen as a problem. Staying with the M42 mount was the main cause of the decline of Pentax as a pro camera brand. I think Pentax stopped to be a camera favored by part of the professionnal photographers after Nikon came with its F model in late 1959. So they really only had a few years of glory and even then, I think that many professionnals stayed with their rangefinders (Leica and Nikon mainly) for most of their photos, some of them having a Pentax for some of their jobs. If Pentax had abandoned the M42 mount and continued to the the cutting edge leader in 35mm camera production/technology Pentax was concentrating on offering cameras and lenses of very high quality and reliability for the middle class masses. They never offered as much accessories as the Nikon system, so readily lost the pro market as Nikon was setting the standard (in terms of a complete system with different finders, etc...). that implies that they would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization, hypersonic type af motors and who knows what else. If this was the case, how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? It's fun to imagine that... But I think Mark that indeed you and me would probably not be with Pentax then! And we would know better the local rerpairman... Andre --
Re: Hypothetical Question
Many Spotmatics have died, that's true. But, considering that they are between 27 and 38 years old, a surprising number of them are still around. And, in my experience, the overwhelming reason that they die is that the meter goes. Mechanical failures are not that prevalent. Even if the mechanics fail, there are so many meter-less bodies out there from which to cannibalize parts, the majority of mechanical failures can still be remedied. regards, frank jcoyle wrote: snip I have seen many Spotmatics which have died, and I know while it would be true to say that we won't know how long any camera will last until it reaches the same vintage, my guess is that the fewer mechanical parts a camera has to wear out, and the more modular it is in construction, the longer it will be around. -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: Hypothetical Question
Hi Frank, There were about 1.75 million Spotmatic SP manufacturer and Pentax parts are available in some parts of the world. I had 2 of my old SPs repaired here in Australia (ASA resistors) and they keep right on clicking. Bob - Original Message - From: frank theriault [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 18, 2002 9:39 AM Subject: Re: Hypothetical Question Many Spotmatics have died, that's true. But, considering that they are between 27 and 38 years old, a surprising number of them are still around. And, in my experience, the overwhelming reason that they die is that the meter goes. Mechanical failures are not that prevalent. Even if the mechanics fail, there are so many meter-less bodies out there from which to cannibalize parts, the majority of mechanical failures can still be remedied. regards, frank jcoyle wrote: snip I have seen many Spotmatics which have died, and I know while it would be true to say that we won't know how long any camera will last until it reaches the same vintage, my guess is that the fewer mechanical parts a camera has to wear out, and the more modular it is in construction, the longer it will be around. -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: The way things might have been - WAS: Rumour mill again...
I agree, Andre, Canon only entered the serious pro market in '71 with it's F-1, so surely one can't say that Pentax lost that much by staying with m42 throughout the '60's. Screwmount only became a problem with the advent of open-aperture metering, as it became difficult of properly align the lens for that purpose with screwmount. regards, frank Andre Langevin wrote: It would have helped to have come out with bayonnet mount 3 or 4 years earlier, but 10 years? I don't think so. Until the end of the sixties, screw mounting was not seen as a problem. -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: Hypothetical Question
Easy for me, the new stuff. I'm different because I didn't grow up with the stuff many of you did. Next it'll be 'A' flash units vs cube flash, or cube vs flash powder g I think it all depends on the generation, and nothing to do with the quality (not saying one is better than another). Perhaps the best photographers were those that didn't have any metering of any sort, used their brains to figure out what was best, and mixed their own powder to get the correct flash? vbg Brad - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 4:30 PM Subject: Hypothetical Question If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
Re: Hypothetical Question
Hi, Bob, Yup, same here. My repair shop has no problem fitting K1000 meters into Spots - there's one in my silver SP! Other than that, nothing more than a CLA and seals has been needed to keep mine going. And, as you say, almost 2 million of them were sold, most to hobbyists. Many of them have been sitting in attics or closets after only a few years use, and are still in pristine condition. Even mint Spotmatics can be gotten on eBay for under $300US. Mint minus, with still working meters can be gotten for much, much less. -frank Bob Rapp wrote: Hi Frank, There were about 1.75 million Spotmatic SP manufacturer and Pentax parts are available in some parts of the world. I had 2 of my old SPs repaired here in Australia (ASA resistors) and they keep right on clicking. -- The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true. -J. Robert Oppenheimer
Re: The way things might have been - WAS: Rumour mill again...
--- Rodelion [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Pentax is good value for the money, while Nikon or Leica would make me a poor man. The Minolta MD and Canon FD systems are also a good value for the money. A equally competent Nikon AI system can be put together at about the same investment as a Pentax manual system. While I agree that one can put together a Pentax system for little money, one can do that with other systems as well. Mark __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus.yahoo.com
Re: Pentax lens lack of half stop detents
Hi Lon, I can think of this explanation: difference of 1/2 stop at f/11 - 22 is so small in absolute physical dimensions that they did feel that making halfstops there would not be repeatable enough due to mechanical nature of the aperture mechanism. f/16 and f/13.5 are just 0.5mm diameter difference! I don't think this is the case. My SMC 24 f/2.8 has a 1/2 stop at f/13. The aperture openning is tiny, but the mechanism seems quite precise. -Scott
Re: Hypothetical Question
After having owned and used a K1000, MV, ME, Me Super, LX, MX, z-10, z-1 , and now a z-1p, my favorites are still the LX and the z-1p. It's horses for courses stuff though folks. I love using the LX for ambient light stuff...and the z-1p with an AF500FTZ kicks butt for TTL flash (especially fill with -1 or -1 1/2 stops compensation). I regularly use MF lenses on my z-1p and AF on the LX...it makes no difference to the image which body the lens is on. One of the most popular Pentax 35mm SLR's of all time is the much underrated and maligned ME Super. I gave one to my other half for xmas last year, and she loves it. I quite often pinch it off her and take a few shots with it. They are still a lovely quiet little camera. Great for stealth photography...like inside churches with a fast lens (not that I'm inside a church more than I have to be). I would still probably favor (just) the z-1p in an outright decision, but only because it can do just about everything any camera ever built can do. There is nothing that I could ever see myself doing that couldn't be handled by the z-1p and my stable of lenses and accessories. The LX is just so damn nice though. Cheers Shaun Mike Johnston wrote: If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike . -- Shaun Canning Cultural Heritage Services High Street, Broadford, Victoria, 3658. www.heritageservices.com.au/ Phone: 0414-967644 e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] My images can be seen at www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=238096
Re: Hypothetical Question
Mike wrote So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? Thats an easy one: the LX Pål
Re: Hypothetical Question
Mike Johnston wrote: quoting someone else If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Then MIke J wrote (I snipped stuff from above) So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike annsan comments: Well, I would if I knew what an ESII was g I love my LX I love my LX I hated my Zx-5 I hated my Z-5 EXCEPT - if they made an LX that was a little lighter weight I'd be happier... -ann
Re: Hypothetical Question
Brad, how old are you? I'm 34 and grew up with photography in the '80s and '90s. Autofocus was newish when I received my first camera as a gift (Ricoh KR5 Super) in the early '80s. I lusted after Nikon F4's, 5's and N90's when I began to seriously learn photography. Never having actually even held one I cannot comment on them. However, I do know that for me and my type of photography an early '80s vintage manual focus camera is my first choice (LX). It has nothing to do with the available technology during my formative years or whatever as AF and major bells and whistles have always been available to me. It has to do with what I like: Simple, easy, manual focus bodies. Christian Skofteland [EMAIL PROTECTED] - Original Message - From: Brad Dobo [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 5:57 PM Subject: Re: Hypothetical Question Easy for me, the new stuff. I'm different because I didn't grow up with the stuff many of you did. Next it'll be 'A' flash units vs cube flash, or cube vs flash powder g I think it all depends on the generation, and nothing to do with the quality (not saying one is better than another). Perhaps the best photographers were those that didn't have any metering of any sort, used their brains to figure out what was best, and mixed their own powder to get the correct flash? vbg Brad - Original Message - From: Mike Johnston [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 4:30 PM Subject: Hypothetical Question If Pentax...would have applied advances in autofocus, image stabilization...how many of you would be still shooting with Pentax (a majority brand)? Or would you be shooting Canon FD and poking jealous fun at Pentax snobs G? Hah! Great point. Canon is so good at being Canon, nobody else has to be Canon So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
RE: Hypothetical Question
I like the polycarbonate bodies. AF, TTL, and other features. Warrantees, service, availability of current accessories, etc. Len --- So let me ask a hypothetical question here. Asked of everyone. IF you have to choose between EITHER the older, metal bodied, manual focus Pentax family (Spotmatics, M series, A series, up to LX) ***OR*** the polycarbonate-bodied, AF Pentax family (P series, ZX series, up to MZ-S)--and you couldn't mix and match and you couldn't use both--which would it be? I guess since my main Pentax is an ESII you know which way I lean. --Mike
